Shirley’s Principles Referenced in Article

Shirley’s principles of “Playing to Win in Business” continue to pop up all over professional websites and blogs! This latest article from Matt Krumrie has great tips about interviewing and self-promotion.

How to Talk About Your Strengths to Employers

In order to win the competitive “job seeker game,” you need to understand the rules, says Shirley Weis, president of Weis Associates, LLC and the former chief administrative officer of Mayo Clinic, where she provided strategic leadership of the $9 billion, 60,000 employee international healthcare system.

Employers want to know that you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses, says Weis, author of Playing to Win in Business.

“They are looking for confident, self-aware people who know themselves and are realistic about what skills and abilities they can bring to a job,” says Weis, who provides the below tips on how to feel more comfortable sharing your strengths.

How to Talk About Your Strengths Comfortably:

Review the position description to determine what skills are needed in the role. Then, dispassionately assess your skills, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses in the main job areas.

If you believe there is a good match of your strengths and the needs of the employer, develop a list of examples where you have demonstrated the skills being sought.

During the interview, use your examples to talk about the positive results you have delivered to other organizations, colleagues, and customers. By sharing examples, you will not seem to be bragging or boastful.

Do a mock interview with a friend or family member so you can practice talking openly and comfortably about your strengths and skills.

Remember that if you have been successfully performing a skill or task for more than 10,000 hours (about five years), you are an “expert” and can feel confident that you “own” these abilities. It is not bragging if you can deliver the results.

Finally, focus on how you can help the employer meet the needs of their organization by utilizing the skills you have mastered. You want to put your strengths to work for THEM.

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Shirley is also president of Weis Associates, specializing in strategic healthcare management consulting--Helping organizations determine their best fit in the changing world of healthcare reform. This service can include
assistance to hospitals, physicians and payers as they form accountable care organizations (ACOs).